So you are looking for an apartment, and have asked the question, “What is included in a furnished apartment?” Depending on your circumstances, a furnished apartment rental may be just the thing you need. If you are on a short term job assignment or corporate relocation, you may or may not find it viable to bring all of your furnishings with you. By learning what could be included with a furnished apartment, you might consider it to be a better option. Here we will break this information up into three sections; barely furnished, reasonably furnished, and over-the-top furnished.

In an attempt to get a little more money out of a rental property, some landlords will decide to throw some very basic furniture into a vacant rental in order to attract a tenant that does not want to move their belongings. In this “barely furnished” apartment arrangement, you will find nothing more than a basic couch (possibly very worn), a bed, and a few other bare essentials to accommodate you. Many lower-end furnished apartments do not even include a TV. Some people are okay with this, due to the fact that they may be willing to add their own items to make it more livable while also considering the typically lower price of the rental. Others may have to actually go and purchase other temporary furnishings to make this work for them. Beware of online photos that may have been taken years ago when furnishings were newer. Always ask for recent photos to be sent from a smart-phone with a date stamp. As this option may work for some, most fall into the next category of needing a “reasonably furnished” apartment.

When you step into a reasonably furnished apartment, you will find it to be very similar to a hotel room in most cases. There will be a couch, television, bed, better kitchen appliances, etc. These are great rentals for a corporate traveler, traveling nurse, or someone making a real estate transaction. All you will normally need in this case is to bring your clothes and toiletries. You will also need bed/bathroom linens and dishes if you plan on cooking at home. There are a wide variety of accommodations in this category, and the main point of consideration is the quality of the furnishings included. Many of these options will include basic utilities, but many come capped at a certain amount of usage each month. Rents will vary widely as well so it is best to look at your options carefully before placing a deposit. Also keep in mind, the nicer the furnished apartment, the higher the deposit or credit worthiness may need to be in case there are damages.

While on the subject of nicer furnished apartments, we will look at the “over-the-top” category which are very far and few between. Another name for these known throughout the world is a serviced apartment, or full service apartment. These furnished offerings contain all of the aforementioned included furnishings, major kitchen appliances, TV, etc. Many offer all utilities and cable, some even offer Internet access. The thing that sets them apart, is that they may offer maid service, included linens and dishes, among a variety of other offerings. At Scottsdale Park Suites, a furnished apartment community in Scottsdale, Arizona you will even get dining options paid for, daily golf, and a gym membership just to name some of these extra included items. While this is very uncommon in the furnished apartment world, it is obviously out there. Do your research and locate the place that offers the most bang for your buck.

An excellent value is usually easy to find as long as you do your due diligence. Make sure to ask many questions, and try to have your most important questions written down so you do not forget to ask the property manager. The last thing you need in your short term arrangement is an unwanted surprise. Make sure to ask about occupancy limits and if pets are allowed or not. Many people have allergies to pets, and would not want to rent a furnished apartment in which pets have been. Lastly, take your time. Things tend to be much more stressful if there is not enough time to plan. As the old saying goes, “...most people don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan.” We hope this guide helps you a little bit in your search for the perfect furnished apartment for your needs. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment or post.

Exciting news was just released for winter visitors and other residents in the Scottsdale area. As many know, the Scottsdale trolley service has been free to the people of Scottsdale for many years. The trolley has been a staple to the public transit system as well as our furnished apartment community and continues to improve its offerings. Visitors to the Scottsdale area will now be able to ride the trolley to a greater number of locations.

The Scottsdale trolley will now take our furnished apartment guests and travelers north from the downtown area as far as Bell Road. The Day Tripper will run every day from now through March 31, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The trolley will take riders from the Scottsdale Fashion Square all the way to the Fairmont Princess. To compliment this new route, the trolley has been given a new name.

The Scottsdale Trolley has been renamed the “Day Tripper” as to appeal to more visitors to the area according to Caroline Stoeckel, vice president of the Scottsdale CVB. "Transportation is important when it comes to visitors thinking about a destination," Stoeckel stated. "The walkability and the transportation that's available to visitors absolutely make a huge difference."